


i'm gonna get you (one way or another)

by miserablesoldier



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-07-25 20:56:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20032225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miserablesoldier/pseuds/miserablesoldier
Summary: The world has it's best defenders, the Avengers, providing a beacon of defence, hope and light but with light comes darkness, those with the power stripped you of everything that made you human and gave you only one mission: kill the Avengers.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> This is set before Infinity War and Endgame, and Civil War never happened because I said so. Bucky, Sam and Peter are Avengers because I also said so and will be explained in the story as to how that happens lol. Kudos and leave comments please.

_The world has changed since way before 2008 when Tony Stark announced himself so candidly as the Iron Man, way before a crater appeared in New Mexico with an un-lifting hammer in the middle, and way before Steve Rogers became Captain America and plummeted himself in a HYDRA vessel straight into the frozen Arctic._

_There dark things in this world now but there remains light as well to always fight the good fight, protect the innocent and bring peace to their home, to those who live in it. _

_That light is called the Avengers, they provide a beacon of hope, a shield of protection around those who fear the dark and what lives in it. They know this and they plan to suffocate, eradicate, slaughter and crush every single one of those Avengers until they are nothing but a speck of dust floating in a downwards spiral the air._

_Good things don’t last forever. _

_They clawed, spidering and infecting the shadows searching for the perfect vessel. A vessel that won’t shatter and dissolve under their influence, a vessel of the perfect, powerful, strong warrior puppet._

_They have found such a person. _

_You._

_The found you stumbling out of a bar somewhere up North in England, you weren’t too sure these days, and swaying from side to side, putting one foot in front of the other down an aged cobblestone street, you had a pleasant time knocking back a few Strongbow’s, played a few games of billiards, listening to the tribute band of the week. _

_You weren’t drunk by any means, you didn’t have that luxury, not anymore at least. You were different, enhanced due to a horrific accident as all of those ‘heroes’ tragically tend start off these days - what that night gave you is what made you so special, utter perfection in their eyes. _

_Which is why they violently ripped you out of that street, consumed you in the shadows, violated and infected every crevasse of your body, soul and mind until the very person that you were was nothing but an empty husk, a shell to be used, carved and shaped into their very purpose. _

_You were just a puppet now, a mindless slave with no freewill, no choice, no emotions. _

_You only had one task now._

_Kill the Avengers._

_Stark._

_Rogers._

_Barton._

_Romanoff._

_Odinson._

_Banner._

_Maximoff._

_Vision._

_Rhodes._

_Wilson._

_Parker._

_Barnes. _

_Every single one by tedious one. _

* * *

When you woke up, you were no longer in a nameless town in England, you woke up naked in an abandoned, under construction office building and when you pushed yourself off the dusty plaster boards you peered out the shattered window.

The Empire State Building, you were in New York and unsure how and why. When you asked that to yourself, you were hit with sharp burning shards in your head. You clutched your head, groaning out your pain but it didn’t stop there. Red scalding burns circled your forearms in spirals, you hissed in pain and brought your arms down and stared at the hideous burns fading into black markings resembled pythons coiling with their heads going into your palms.

They were a reminder as they seem to move and come alive, hissing their wishes at you.

_You have a purpose. _

_You may begin._

_You have everything you will need with you._

_2:25pm. Downtown. _

_Do not fail us. _

The snakes faded back to black markings on your skin, you turned from the window and everything you needed was placed in front of where you woke. A navy backpack filled with sustainable food and water, and weapons. Monotoned clothes lay neatly beside the bag, underwear, socks, black jeans, long sleeved grey shirts that embellished a symbol you recognise, a black and blue bikers’ jacket and military combat boots, holsters for your legs and torso. You put these all on, everything seemed to fit perfectly for you.

You returned to the window and looked over, at the ground and saw a motorcycle just lying there. You understood what the jacket was for now. You lifted yourself through the window, not caring for the shards glass penetrating the skin of hands, you let yourself fall and landed on your feet not metres away from the bike.

No keys, you noticed. You patted down the jacket you’re wearing and head a jingle in your right pocket, you pulled the object out. A key with a dartboard keyring attached. There was a name engraved on the back.

Yours, you suspected but none of that matters.

Seating yourself on the bike, you slotted the key in and started the engine. The machine purred with a rumble to life. You had to be somewhere more important to be. You drove out of the construction yard and onto the streets of New York.

You drove for hours and you were running out of time, you needed to get to Midtown, you parked and turned off the bike to take a look of your surroundings. Tall, greyed buildings everywhere, there was no colour other than the people. The place felt empty, but it was packed, busy all the same.

You could hear tyres burning rubber on the roads, screeching which seemed too loud for your ears. Your eyes then caught the sight of the out of the control car and it was on a crash course straight into a dark-skinned man with a black eyepatch covering one of his eyes and a woman walking together.

The woman with pinned back dark brown reacted too late, she called out to the man. “Fury, move!”

The man known as ‘Fury’ had no time left, the car was a metre away from him, but the hit never came. He opened his one good eye and saw a woman in front of car, perfectly fine and stopped the kamikaze car with her body, creating a dent in the nose.

She was one of them.

He stared at the woman; he could have sworn that her eyes had no colour. “Thanks, what’s your name, soldier?”

You blinked at him, reading him, watching him like prey. You knew he was why you were here; he was important, and you needed him. “Lieutenant-Colonel (Y/N) (Y/L/N) of the British Army, sir.” You answered him clear and concise, there was a memory that came with that, but it was just a whisper, closed off and not to be touched.

The brunette woman stepped towards her and beside Fury. “You’re a long way from home, soldier,”

“Yes, I am, Ma’am,” You nodded.

“You saved my life, soldier, and you exhibited extraordinary abilities there,” Fury smirked and wondered what more the likes of this soul weary soldier could do.

You pressed out a small smile. “I wouldn’t call it that, sir,”

Fury let out a chuckle, you reminded him of a recently thawed captain back in the very early days of the Avengers Initiative. “Let me buy you a coffee and let’s talk about it, or would you rather prefer tea?”

“Tea, actually.”

You did perfectly. You did what they wanted you to do, you had unknowingly made a link to the Avengers that would soon reveal itself, but you were still quite in the dark about that. They would continue to keep you in the dark until it is necessary for you to know specific things.

You felt a warm hiss against the back of your left ear as you followed the two into a coffee house.

_Slowly. _

_Work and you shall see._

So, you did, you answered all of their questions, the right answers were hissed to you perfectly. You made Nick Fury and Maria Hill think you were a lost, wounded soul from the war with so much more left to give. So, they took you in, tested you and your abilities, saw what you were capable of and so much more, they trained you with agents and simulations for months and months. You did exactly what they asked of you and gave them the results they wanted to see.

A new Avenger.

Time will tell when that title will come to pass and be bestowed upon you by the Great Tony Stark.

They gave you a ‘home’, they called it, it was an apartment that you lived, slept, ate and received your messages in. Home meant absolutely nothing to you now. Nothing did.

You didn’t sleep, you’re not sure that you can so the snakes hiss whisperings to you encouragements of darkness, information that you need, what to do, how to act and what to say as you were a puppet with them pulling your strings.

Which you are just that.

A means to an end, and a gory one at that.

You know you will not survive this.

You didn’t care.


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha Romanoff watches you...

The day came for your first solo mission, but you knew better, this was a fabricated mission with Nick Fury, Maria Hill and the Black Widow herself: Natasha Romanoff watching your every move. This was a test for recruitment. It was secretive and supposedly blind to you so they can see you as you are and not someone with the Avengers watching you, judging you with the decision to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

It was deep into the winter months, snow fell and built up which made this increasingly difficult for the average agent, but you were no agent or average person. You were something more and something less.

Dark, black trees stood tall and varied in the white forest, you stood at the top of a downwards slope of forty feet. The icy winds bit at your ears and froze our cheeks, your eyes focussed on the scenery in front of you. It was misted with chaotic falling snow; you couldn’t see much only the trees and the snow, but you knew they were watching.

They were watching you, to see your next move.

With a soft, gentle foot forwards you slid down the slope in one stroke. You were closer to the ground now and saw things differently. You saw what you were ordered to come here for. Multiple men dressed in black, carrying heavy weaponry that didn’t belong to them.

They were placing such non-manmade artillery into their armoured trucks. You calculated that you had less than seven minutes until they ride off with said weapons. You were quite far away as well, and they would quite easily see you out in the open, so you didn’t do that.

You faded into the snow, the dark trees are helpful, and they blended into one another nicely. You slithered up the tree and swiftly travelled from tree to tree, nearing the extraction site where those men roamed.

The men were itching to get moving, making snide comments at one another, they were not a team, this was a rushed job to just get it done. 

You were so careful, slick and moved with grace with the Black Widow’s eyes on you but iced snow on a branch made your foot slip, snapping the compromised branch and falling to the ground. You made it to the trunk of the tree, your back hugging it and turning away from the men.

They were startled and shot at the direction of the fallen branch, in your direction. “Hey, hey, stop!” You heard one of the men with a gruff voice, the man in charge presumably, command the others to cease their firing.

They did. “You killed it, let it go,” the leader waved them away.

You glanced down between your feet and saw a bloodied deer carcase at the base of the tree, you were the cause of it’s death and you felt nothing for the creature.

“I’m going to go check it out,” a man with a ratty goatee said and pushed towards the deer.

The other man looked at him in disgust. “Dude, don’t, it’s gross,” he turned and looked away from him and Goatee shook his head with a chuckle, moving over and kneeling down to the deer.

Goatee smirked down at the dead animal and pulled out his switch blade. “A rather good prize for my mantle.” He spoke to himself or to the deer, you weren’t quite sure.

You made a move on Goatee, you attached a wire to the trunk of the tree and propelled yourself down, locking your body around the man, tying him up, snapping his neck and hooking him up to the wire. It was a perfect technique.

You took his switchblade and left him hanging, swinging from side to side by the tree.

There were only two left and you were metres away from the armoured truck. Your steps were quiet, silent but left an aura of death in their wake. You crept over to man that turned their back on their fellow man, you had to prove that you were more than machine of death so you tazed the man from behind, pushing him into the ground face first, silencing his warnings to the leader.

You moved quickly with no remorse before the man saw you, pulling his gun on you. You went for his legs, taking him down on his back. You forced the gun out of his hands and used the blunt bottom and hit him in the face with it.

He wasn’t dead, just knocked out from the force.

You took the keys to the truck from him and stood up. You stared down at the man as his skin disappeared as any other illusion and what was left was a robot with Stark’s name plastered on it next to the Avenger’s symbol.

A steady echo of clapping and steps followed around the entrance to the secret base, you looked up and saw Nick Fury accompanied by Maria Hill and Natasha Romanoff. Your eyes met hers, she was watching you, studying you as they have been.

“An impressive show, Lieutenant-Colonel,” Fury commented, coming to a stop a few metres in front of you.

Hill clicked her cheek and made an observation of you. “You were aware of the simulation, weren’t you?”

You nodded, the snakes hissed up your neck, this instance made you content with the fact that they couldn’t see or hear the reptiles informing you of what to say. “Robots or illusions don’t require a pulse.”

The red headed assassin narrowed her eyes at you. “You can hear heart beats?”

“Yes,”

Fury looked at Natasha. “So, Romanoff, thoughts?”

You saw that glint in her eyes, she was interested in you, intrigued and wary of you, as she should be.

She pushed her hands into the pockets of her pale woolly jacket. “My approval isn’t enough, the whole team needs to agree so let’s begin with a trail period,”

Maria cocked an eyebrow. “What does this trail period entail then?”

“A month in the compound with the team, working with us, living with us, fighting alongside us, you have our backs and we’ll have yours – and at the end of the month. We’ll re-evaluate,” Natasha’s eyes didn’t leave yours as she explained her terms, they didn’t matter to you, you’d happily playhouse with them. You would learn every single one of their likes, their dislikes, the way they speak to strangers, each other and loved ones, how their dynamic works and flows – and dismantle it from the very inside.

This was your purpose and you felt the black oozing pit inside you consume you with the feeling of pride as the snakes hissed in pleasure.

_So good, so good._

_So close, yet so far away._

_You shall receive a reward when you enter their home._

_You will not fail us._

“I understand completely.” You smiled.

* * *

You were lay on your back, staring at the creamy emptiness of the ceiling, you have been in the same position since you returned from your ‘mission’ and you were more successful. They were pleased with you, both your masters and Fury, Hill and perhaps Romanoff. She was quite hard to read but you were informed with her training in the Red Room, it will take more time earn her trust but it wasn’t about that.

You got your way in.

You have an entire month to put forward the motions but this month isn’t for death, this is for building bridges and securing your pathway into the Avengers, becoming one yourself before lighting those bridges ablaze along with the Avengers with it.

Don’t be fast and chaotic.

Take your time, be methodical, ruthless and especially cruel when the time is right.

One by one they shall fall, and each one will have to watch the other crumble and live with their mistakes.

A buzz pulled you away, your head turned and met the vibrating phone on the bedside table. You picked up the phone and read the notification.

**8:30am, prepared to be picked up. – TS**

The Great Tony Stark.

Again, you felt nothing for what is to become of him and yourself.

You were aware of the person you used to be, you knew your name but nothing else that came with it. You hold no memories, only facts of what this person was. Name, place of birth, schools, military history, the accident and nothing else. They held no meaning, no yearning, no emotional attachments.

They were nothing.

You were nothing.

That person was missing, wiped and disappeared and yet there was nobody that cared.

You were alone.

But you won’t be for long.

The Avengers are waiting for you.

They have no idea of what they’re welcoming into their home.


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You arrive at the Avengers facility, you meet Tony Stark and Wanda Maximoff tries to make you feel welcome...

Wanda Maximoff was sat at the kitchen island, flicking through a cookbook, trying to find something delicious to cook up for lunch for their newcomer, nothing in their file said anything about likes and dislikes involving anything really. The file only held her history, the accident, the military background and the training records Fury provided.

Nothing personal mentioned at all.

She wanted to make a good impression and homemade food for lunch seemed a great way to go about doing that, another woman would be staying with them for a month and if all things go well then permanently which she was pleased about as the compound was a total dude fest.

They are great fighters, warriors and Avengers, all of them but with it just being her and Natasha being the only female Avengers on the team, with the occasional exception of Pepper and Maria, it will be nice to up their numbers a bit.

She looked up from the cookbook and at Natasha sitting in front of her on the opposite side of the island. “What was she like when you met her?” She hoped for some more information that would be helpful to her.

Natasha looked up for her tablet thinking of their first meeting in the forest. “She only spoke when spoken to, moved herself like those trained in the army, so I wouldn’t expect much from her today,” she advised and went back to her tablet.

Wanda hummed as she processed the information, she would have to make sure that you would feel welcome here. “Has a room been made up for her?”

Natasha nodded not lifting her eyes up. “Tony made one up for her as soon as he got wind of her trial with us,”

“Which one?”

“The one at the very end of the third floor? I think we used that room for basic storage,” Wanda nodded, going back to her cookbook and finally choosing a recipe.

…

You sat on the steps outside of the apartment building they provided accommodation for you with, two plain black suitcases sat in front of your feet and a backpack you woke up with clung to your back.

You never really unpacked to begin with, you have been ready for this since you first awoken by their hand, this was what you were made for and it was happening. Their words echoed in your mind.

_Slowly._

_Take your time._

_The time will come to pass, and you will be more than ready._

You believed them.

“Lieutenant-Colonel (Y/N) (Y/L/N)?” A male voice rang out, gaining your attention as you looked up to see a man in a black suit.

You nodded your reply and stood up, reaching for your suitcases. “Oh, no, I got those. You get in and we’ll head straight to the compound. They’re waiting for you,”

You thought you should be polite at least; he was connected to the Avengers it seems. “Of course, thank you.” You watched as he grabbed your suitcases and you got into the back of the slick black car.

You thought on his words.

They’re waiting for you.

_They’re waiting for you._

It should have felt ominous and daunting knowing that they were out there waiting on your arrival, but it didn’t. You felt nothing again and you suspected that they made you this way so nothing, not even emotions, would get in your way in your mission.

The car ride was silent other than the dull sound of the radio, the tall buildings and busy streets changed to curved empty roads and trees, far away from city life. The white Avengers compound came into view, you remembered that this was a trial run, you had to make them feel comfortable with you and you intended to do just that.

The snakes hissed pleasantly against your palms as you neared the entrance to the Avengers compound.

_A reward will be waiting for you._

You were like a dog; you did something good and now you get a treat.

You wondered how they would treat you and what that would be exactly, you didn’t enjoy anything, but you imagined the person that you were did like certain things. Not that you could remember anything, they made it so.

The car parked and you got out, and you saw your first Avenger walking out the entrance to meet you.

Tony Stark.

He grinned as he walked down to you, offering his hand to you and you shook it. “(Y/N), right?”

“Yes, sir,”

Tony chuckled. “No need for the formalities,” he looked over to the man who picked her up. “You mind bringing her bags in, Happy?”

“Of course, Tony,” Happy opened the trunk and pulled out her two suitcases, they weren’t heavy by any means.

You looked between the two. “May I ask what exactly is happening then?”

“Oh, right, obviously, I’ve made you up a room on the third floor and after you get settled, Wanda prepared a nice lunch for us all and we’ll talk logistics.” Tony explained as they walked through and to the elevator.

You followed and watched as he pressed a button for the third floor when Happy entered the elevator with her suitcases. Wanda. You brought her face up in your mind.

Wanda Maximoff.

The Scarlet Witch.

The snakes began to hiss again.

_The witch can access the mind._

_Do not fear._

_She cannot access yours._

_We have made it so._

You asked no questions and believed them and prepared yourself to face Wanda and those around her. You had time to ready yourself for the others apparently, they have given you time to ‘settle in’ to your room at the compound. Your eyes caught a camera in the elevator, you would need to watch your every move as they would be doing the same.

They walked out the elevator and down to the last room on the third floor. Tony leant on the wall beside the doorframe. “This is yours for the foreseeable future, just head down to the second floor whenever you’re ready to meet everybody,”

You nodded, walking into your room. It was definitely grander than that little apartment they gave you, even though you had nothing but that to compare it to you knew this was luxurious. “I understand, I’ll see you soon,”

Happy placed down her suitcases at the foot of the queen size bed. “Thank you.” You told him and he smiled at you, leaving the room with Tony.

The door closed behind them and you left alone. You dropped your backpack on the desk under the window that gave you a view of the lake, with your back turned to the bed a small cardboard oblong box manifested itself on the green pillows.

You ignored it as you unpacked your backpack and suitcases, making it looked like you were settling into your new quarters. You had to play your part in this game of chess, you were more than sure that you were nothing but a pawn – easily disposable at any given moment.

That didn’t affect you in any way shape or form.

You knew your purpose.

You slotted your clothes on hangers in the wardrobe, you placed your pants into the drawers and everything else found a place in this room but you still felt out of place somehow.

Your eyes narrowed at the parcel on your bed, you sat on the bed and brought it onto your lap. You opened it up easily and saw what was inside, you were confused by the contents. There were two large chocolate bars, a music CD and thick leather-bound book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

_Enjoy your reward_.

A hiss that seemed more like a snicker to you.

It was a mockery to the person you used to be, they knew exactly who this person was, what they liked and what they didn’t. You weren’t sure how you could feel about that or how you should feel with them taunting you with what they forcibly took from you.

You decided to indulge in their ridicule and took the music CD, there was no cover art or words written on the blank grey CD, but you took it out and placed it in the computer slot at the desk.

It became ready to play rather quickly, you read the name of the songs in the list and meant nothing to you, but you pressed play anyway.

_How do I live? How do I breathe?_

_When you’re not here I’m suffocating_

_I want to feel love, run through my blood_

_Tell me is there where I give it all up?_

_For you I have to risk it all_

_‘Cause the writing’s on the wall…_

The next few songs seem to follow the same mantra of loss, heartbreak and loneliness, you began this beginning might have been a reprieve for you, breaking you away from such sadness so that you could no longer remember such pain.

It made you wonder but not for long.

A change of pace, things went faster and louder.

_‘Cause you’re the last of a dying breed_

_Write our names in the wet concrete_

_I wonder if your therapist knows _

_Everything about me_

_I’m here in search of your glory_

_There’s a been a million before me_

_That ultra-kind of love, yeah_

_Never walk away from_

_You’re the last of the real ones…_

This made you wonder how you transformed from a military woman, almost killed in an accident, to the warrior that they named you and how that made you feel, why you decided to fight for those that couldn’t for themselves.

Do they care that you’re gone, destroyed in their very streets you protect?

You pulled yourself away from such wandering thoughts.

You have Avengers waiting for you.

You removed your jacket, simulating the idea that you’ve relaxed yourself, you left your room and headed to the elevator. You got in and pressed the button for the second floor, a sudden robotic female voice startled you, making you clench your fists ready for a fight.

“No need for a fight, miss (Y/N), I mean you no harm. I am FRIDAY. Mr. Stark implemented me into the building to help you as your guide through the compound throughout your stay,” the A.I informed you.

You released your hands from their tight grip, and you nodded. “Thank you.”

That was that and the doors opened.

The Avengers were scattered around the large dining table and kitchen area. Tony made a move and greeted you, introducing you to the others. “Ah, (Y/N), was beginning to worry about you,” he grinned.

Wanda smiled at you. “I hope you like cowboy hotpot,”

“If it tastes as good as it smells, then we’ll have no problems,” You smiled kindly back at her and she flushed, taking her seat at the table.

You took your seat at the middle of the table, you figured they placed you there so they could observe you like a bird in a cage, you played into their game. “I’m Wanda, by the way,” you nodded your reply as she shook your hand.

Her kind expression dropped as she tried to read you; she saw absolutely nothing. “Why can’t I see anything in you?”

Everyone stared at you and Wanda, confused and high concerned. “Due to my accident, I locked my mind. No one can enter it,” You explained, a lie, but it’ll serve.

“O-oh,” Her voice turned small.

A dark-skinned man at the table chuckled next to a broad-shouldered blonde, “Bucky could’ve used that,”

“Sam.” The blonde warned.

You put the names to the faces: Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers.

The Falcon and Captain America.

The person they mentioned.

Bucky.

James ‘Bucky’ Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

He was stolen, brainwashed and turned into a living weapon by HYDRA.

The person you were could possibly relate if they were still here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know the songs used: "Writings on the Wall" by Sam Smith and "The Last of the Real Ones" by Fall Out Boy.


End file.
